Case Study Three and Four - Neuro

What receives information through light?

The retina

What nerve carries visual information to the brain?

The optic nerve

Where do optic nerve fibers cross?

The optic chiasm

What structure filters visual information?

The thalamus

After the thalamus where does visual information go?

The primary visual cortex

Which area applies memory to visual descriptions?

The visual association cortex

What do pressure receptors in the skin detect?

Changes in pressure

Which nerve carries touch signals?

The afferent nerve

Through which pathway does touch information travel?

DCML (dorsal column medial lemniscus)

Which structure filters somatosensory information?

The thalamus

After the thalamus where does touch information go?

Primary sensory cortex

Where is memory applied to touch perception?

Secondary association cortex

What do muscle spindles detect?

Changes in muscle spindle length

What do Golgi tendon organs detect?

Muscle tension

What response protects muscles from overload?

Autogenic inhibition response

Which neurons send proprioceptive messages up the spinal cord?

Afferent neurons

Through which tract does proprioceptive information travel?

DCML (dorsal column medial lemniscus)

What structure filters proprioceptive information?

The thalamus

After the thalamus where does proprioception information go?

Primary sensory cortex

Where is memory applied to proprioceptive input?

Secondary association cortex

What detects pain?

Pain receptors

Which nerve carries pain signals to the CNS?

Afferent nerve

Through which tract does pain information travel?

Lateral spinothalamic tract

What structure filters pain information?

The thalamus

After the thalamus where does pain information go?

Primary sensory cortex

Where is memory applied to pain perception?

Secondary association cortex

What detects angular rotation?

Semi-circular canals

What detects linear acceleration?

Otoliths

Which nerve carries vestibular signals?

Vestibular nerve

What structure filters vestibular information?

The thalamus

Where is vestibular information processed?

Vestibular cortex

What does the prefrontal cortex integrate?

Information from senses, memory, and emotions

What does the prefrontal cortex do after integrating information?

Sets up steps, follows up, and monitors the goal

What does “extracting a plan” mean?

Turning a goal into a set of movements

What is a motor plan?

Identification of the right muscles that need to be inhibited or activated to perform an efficient learned movement

Which areas send the general motor plan to the basal ganglia?

Premotor cortex and supplementary motor cortex

What structure relays information about which muscles are excited or inhibited back to the motor cortices?

The basal ganglia

Once the final motor plan is confirmed, where is it sent?

To the primary motor cortex

What happens after the primary motor cortex receives the plan?

The signal is transmitted down the spinal cord to the required muscles

Which structure sends information down the lateral corticospinal tract?

The primary motor cortex

With what does the corticospinal tract information synapse?

Alpha motor neurons (bundle of efferent nerves)

Where does this synapse occur?

At the ventral horn (anterior) of the spinal cord

What do alpha motor neurons do?

Transmit the motor command to the muscle spindles

What two types of modification can occur during movement?

Conscious and subconscious

What sensory information does the cerebellum receive subconsciously?

Fine touch, proprioception, and pressure

Why can the cerebellum modify movement subconsciously?

Because it has the motor plan and can send a new signal down to adjust movement

What does the cerebellum continually compare during movement?

The motor plan with the actual action performed

What happens if there are major differences between the plan and the action?

conscious adjustment

What happens if there are minor differences between the plan and the action?

subconscious adjustment

What does the cerebellum signal to change the motor plan when necessary?

The pre-motor and supplementary motor cortic